Street business board game

ABSTRACT

A board game, for play by competing players and in which each player conducts business in an urban environment for the purposes of accumulating greater wealth than competitors, includes: a plurality of tokens, a game board having a plurality of marked spaces on which the tokens may sit or be moved by the players, a form of currency that the players use to conduct business, a chance device that is used by a player to determine the movement of his/her token, wherein the business actions that can be taken in the game are chosen from the group of business actions identified herein as “connecting,” “taking a street risk,” “vending,” “promoting,” “gambling” or establishing a “street business.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to games. More particularly, this inventionrelates to a board game that has pieces whose movement is determined tosome degree by chance and wherein the board game attempts to teach onehow to create wealth in an “inner city street” environment.

2. Description of the Related Art

A multitude of various board games are known in the prior art forproviding entertainment to the players of such games. Many of thesegames create competitive situations in which a group of game playersindividually move his or her own marker around a space-marked route on aboard according to the roll of a dice or other chance mechanism andaccumulate points or money that reflect how well or quickly a player hasnavigated the route, and with the player from the group who has the mostpoints or money at the end of an agreed upon time interval beingdeclared the game's winner.

One way to try to increase the interest level of such board games is tocraft them such that the board's route contains locations or stops thathave a special interest or significance for the game's players (e.g.,names of streets in their hometowns or others cities with which they arefamiliar).

Although there are many such games in the marketplace, none of them arespecifically directly towards individuals or potential game players wholive in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of large cities orurban environments where there often exist various business challengesor opportunities that are relatively unique to these neighborhoods. Itis to the interest of such individuals that the present invention isdirected.

3. Objects and Advantages

The prior art that is related to the present invention has beengenerally identified above in order that the context of the presentinvention may be better understood and appreciated. In this regard, itis instructive to also consider the objects and advantages of thepresent invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new board gamethat is especially directly towards board game players who live in innercity neighborhoods.

It is another object of the present invention to introduce a new boardgame that helps to teach board game players about inner cityneighborhoods and the unique business challenges and opportunitiesavailable within these neighborhoods.

It is yet another object of the present invention to introduce a newboard game that helps teach how entrepreneurship can be practiced ininner city neighborhoods.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome readily apparent as the invention is better understood byreference to the accompanying summary, drawings and the detaileddescription that follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Recognizing the need for the development of a board game which addressesthe unique business opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship ininner city neighborhoods, the present invention is generally directed tosatisfying the needs set forth above.

In accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of aboard game, for play by competing players and in which each playerconducts business in an urban environment for the purposes ofaccumulating greater wealth than competitors, includes: a plurality oftokens, a game board having a plurality of marked spaces on which thetokens may sit or be moved by the players, a form of currency that theplayers use to conduct business, a chance device that is used by aplayer to determine the movement of his/her token, wherein the businessactions that can be taken in the game are chosen from the group ofbusiness actions identified herein as “connecting,” “taking a streetrisk,” “vending,” “promoting,” “gambling” or establishing a “streetbusiness.”

In other preferred embodiments, this game can also include any of thefollowing elements: (a) a plurality of “street risk” cards that haveinformation on them that determines the outcome of a “street risk” thatone of the game players may elect to take, (b) a plurality of“connection” cards that have information on them cards which identifiesvarious items that a player may select to buy and sell when one of themelects to make a “connection (i.e., a resell on the street of wholesalegoods),” (c) a plurality of “street business” cards, each of which hasinformation on it that identifies the value and type of one of such“street business” that a player may elect to establish, (d) a pluralityof “specialty” cards, each of which has information on it thatidentifies the value and type of such “specialty” business that a playermay elect to establish, or (d) a second chance device that is used todetermine the outcome of a specified business action. Still otherpreferred embodiments of the present invention include methods forpracticing the present invention.

Thus, there has been summarized above, rather broadly, the presentinvention in order that the detailed description that follows may bebetter understood and appreciated. There are, of course, additionalfeatures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichform the subject matter of the claims to this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a preferred embodiment of the board surface of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 1B-1C show representative views of the distinctive appearance oftwo of the spokes that are part of the board's marked spaces

FIG. 2 shows the following elements of the present invention: a player'srepresentative token 12 or piece, play money 14, a chance device 16(e.g., pair of dice) and a specialized “profit” cube or dice 18.

FIG. 3 shows the additional elements of the present invention: a“business inventory card” 20, a “street risk” card 22 and a “connection”card 24.

FIG. 4 also shows elements of the present invention: a vending machinesupplier's card 26 a, an event organizer's card 26 b, a transportationcard 28 which is in the form of a transit system yearly pass, andrepresentative “street business” checks 32.

FIG. 5 shows examples of the various street business cards 30 that arepart of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the present invention indetail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and to the arrangements ofthe components set forth in the following description or illustrated inthe drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of beingpracticed and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understoodthat the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purposeof description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The present invention takes the form of the means and methods for aboard game that allows a number of competing players to individuallymove his or her token around a marked and spaced board surface,according to the number of spaces a token may move during one's turn ofplay and as assigned by a chance device. Upon landing upon one of theboard's marked spaces, one is allowed to undertake, as dictated in partby the nature of the marked space landed upon, various entrepreneurendeavors of the player's choice and which are often unique to aspecific urban environment which can be selected as the locale for thegame's setting.

For example, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includesthe configuration of the game's board surface so that it reflects whatcan be described as an “inner city” culture and where the types ofentrepreneur or business endeavors available to such “inner city”residents include: (a) “connect” with a buyer found in a chosenneighborhood to sell specified merchandize that was bought from awholesale, (a) take a “street risk” by trying to resell merchandizebought on the street, (c) organize and conduct an “event or party” forwhich attendees must pay an admission charge, (d) “gamble” and (b) buyand operate an established, ongoing “street” business.

The object of the game is to determine who among the players canaccumulate the greatest wealth or number of points as a result of theirchosen endeavors.

FIG. 1A shows a preferred embodiment of the board surface 2 that issuitable for use with the present invention. The marked spaces 4 on thisboard are seen to be arranged into a specified number (e.g., 12) ofequally spaced spokes 6 that spread outward from the board's center.Between these spokes 6 there are various trapezoidal shaped areas 7.Each of these spokes has a specified number (e.g., 6) of marked spaces.The marked space of each of these spokes that is furtherest from theboard's center has a leg 8 that is perpendicular to the spoke andconsists of a specified number (e.g., 3) marked spaces. On each side ofthese legs there is a differently colored or numbered space 10 thatseparates the adjoining marked spaces from the adjacent legs. Finally,there is an intervening marked space 11 on either side of the third fromthe center marked space in each of the spokes. The spacing of this boardis such that these intervening spaces connect the adjacent spokes. Usingthe representative numbers given above, this board is seen to becomprised of 120 marked spaces 4 and 12 colored spaces 10.

Representative identities given to these marked spaces include: (a) thenames of a specific city's streets, along with a given point or moneyvalue for the respective streets, (b) the names of the city'scommunities, (c) the names of the city's parks, (d) the names of thecity's key transit stations, and (e) named locations where specificactions can be taken (e.g., entrepreneurship endeavors, purchase ofservices, penalties imposed, or one may simple rest). See FIGS. 1B-1Cfor representative close-up views of the distinctive appearance of thesemarked spaces. Those familiar with Baltimore, Md., the inventor'sresidence, will recognize the street and community names used in thisrepresentative board surface as being from Baltimore neighborhoods.

Some of the writings on these marked spaces 4 are distinctive andprovide information that is an essential part of the operationalmechanics of playing the present invention. These writings and theirsignificance will be explained in the later discussion of the rules forplaying the present invention.

Other elements of this game are shown in FIGS. 2-5. Because thesevarious elements are considered to be clearly described by providing apicture of them, it is felt that no further explanations of them arenecessary and, thus, none are given.

These elements include: a player's representative token 12 or piecewhich has a specific number from 4 to 11 assigned to it and that ismoved by a player from space to space about the board 2, some form orcurrency 14 (e.g., play money or numbered chips) that is used by theplayers to conduct various business endeavors, pay service fees andfines, etc. during the course of the game, a first chance device 16(e.g., pair of dice) whose use determines how many spaces on the board aplayer's token may move during each of a player's turns to participate,a second chance device 18 such as a specialized “profit” cube or dice,with face markings such as “triple return,” “double return,” “robbed,”“no profit,” “go to jail,” “$10,000,” that a player uses to determinethe payoff on a specific “street risk” taken by the player, a number ofcopies of the same, two-sided, “business inventory card” 20 whichdetermines the value or cost of value of various street businesses thatcan be located on specified of streets which appear on the board'ssurface, a collection of “street risk” cards 22 that have written onthem the outcome of a specific street risk taken by a player, acollection of “connection” cards 24 that have written on them the costof the various types of merchandize that a player can purchase fromreputable distributors for resell in the cities various communities, acollection of specialty cards 26 for specialty service businessendeavors that do not require one involved in the endeavors to keephours at a specific location (e.g., vending machine supplier 26 a, eventorganizer 26 b) and having written upon them the monies to be collectfor performing the prescribed services, a collection of transportationcards 28 which entitle the holder of one of such the card to specifiedtransportation services, a collection of various types of “streetbusiness” cards 30 that represent an assortment of ongoing businessesthat can be purchased and operated by the individual game players, withthese cards having written upon them the cost or point value ofoperating each of the respective businesses, and a collection of ‘streetbusiness’ checks 32 which have various monetary values that are printedare the front of these checks.

An examination of the “connection” 24 and “street business” cards 30reveal that their design and the writings on them reflect the businessopportunities that are perceived to exist for many “inner city”residents (i.e., the urban environment that serves as the background orsetting for a preferred embodiment of the present invention is one where“inner city” residents would live). One reason for this configurationwas to attempt to try to increase the interest level of potential boardgame players.

Examples of the types of goods listed on the “connection” cards 24 thatcan be bought and sold through a “connection” with an “inner city”setting for a preferred embodiment of the present board game include:tee shirts, boots, sweat suits, video games, CDs, DVDs, fruits,vegetables, bottles of water, candy & snacks, sport watches, stereoequipment, clothing, and jewelry.

Examples of the “street businesses” and their corresponding cards 30that are a part of a preferred embodiment of this board game include:corner store 30 a, liquor store 30 b, beauty salon 30 d, barber shop,bail bond business, car wash 30 c, tattoo shop, nail salon, carry-outfood restaurant, pawn shop, cleaners, record shop, coffee shop,automobile repair shop, footwear store, clothing store, day care center,bar & lounge, tanning salon, massage parlor, funeral home, fitnesscenter, pool hall, and night club.

The board setup and the initial organization of the game are relativelysimple. A pile is made of both the individual “connection” 24 and““street risk” 22 cards. These individual piles, with the cards orientedface-down, are then placed on one of the trapezoidal shaped areas of theboard's surface so that they are easily accessible (i.e., within arm'sreach) by all the players who are assumed to be sitting around theboard's perimeter. Similar piles are made for the “business 30,”“specialty 26,” and “transportation 28” cards, with these cards orientedface-up, and placed on other of the board's trapezoidal areas. One ofthe players agrees to, in addition to playing the game, manage theaffairs of an assumed Bank that initially holds the excess play money 14and other elements of the game.

The individual players select or have assigned to them one of the tokens12 and then place his/her token on the designated colored space which isthe assigned point on the board from which that player will make aninitial move (e.g., number the colored spaces the same as numbersassigned to the tokens; have the players assigned a token number by thechance device; then have the players play in turn according to theirtoken's number, with, for example, the lowest numbered token movingfirst—alternatively, dice can be rolled to determine who moves first,etc.). Each player is initially given a specified amount of seed moneyor capital (e.g., $2,500) and a business inventory card 20.

The players then take turns using the chance device 16 to determine howmany spaces on the board a player may move his/her token. The movementof a player's token is not restricted to be in any one direction (e.g.,clockwise). It may move up, down or sideways as it passes from onemarked space to another adjoining marked space. The only exception tosuch movement being when a player's token arrives at a space that isidentified as being a transit stop. Here, the player may purchase atransit pass, or use a previously acquired transportation card 28, totransfer to any other transit stop on the board and “possibly” continuethe token's space jumping until all of its identified number of moveshave been expended.

Note that in the previous sentence it was indicated that a player could“possibly” continue to move his/her token. The reason for indicating“possibly” is that a player is not required to move his/her token themaximum number of spaces indicated by the number given by the chancedevice when it's that player's turn to move. A player may elect to landon or arrive at a desired marked space which can be reached by nothaving to use all of allowed moves (e.g., one rolls a 7 on a pair ofdice, and is then allowed to move any number of spaces between 1 to 7).

Where a player moves his token will depend on how the player wishes totry to make his/her money. This is determined by the nature of the space(e.g., “connect,” “street risk,” “vending,” “promoting,” “gambling”) towhich one elects to move his/her token.

For example, to make a “connection,” one must move his/her token to aspace marked “connect” 34. See FIG. 1C. The player is then allowed totake the top card from the face-down pile of “connection” cards 24. Whenit is that player's turn to again move, the player would then usuallyattempt to move the player's token to a space that is marked as a“community” 36 where the player could attempt to sell the goods whichhe/she acquires for this connection.

What a player can acquire is dictated by the player selecting from thevarious options that are presented in writing on the “connection” cardwhich he/she previously took from the top of the pile of such cards(e.g., select to sell $1,000 worth of white & black tee shirts 38 fromthe connection card marked “clothing/shoes,” see FIG. 3). What profit,if any, the player makes in this sell or connection is determined bythat player rolling the “profit” cube or dice 18.

As previously noted the outcomes that a player can receive are “triplereturn (e.g., profit of $2,000 on the $1,000 investment),” “doublereturn,” “robbed” (i.e., street entrepreneurial efforts can bedangerous—you lose your $1,000 investment), “no profit,” “go to jail &forfeit your connection card” (i.e., street entrepreneurial efforts canhave aspects whose legality can be questionable—you sold to a crook whopaid you with stolen marked money and are immediately apprehended by apoliceman who has reason to search you and upon searching finds thestolen, marked money) or “$10,000 profit”. The Bank pays to the playerany profits made or collects any losses incurred by the player. Anyforfeited “connection” card is returned to the bottom of the pile.

Alternatively, a player may take a “street risk” by moving his/her tokento a space marked “street risk” 40. See FIG. 1C. Without waiting foranother turn, the player then must take the top card from the face-downpile of “street risk” cards 22. The outcome of this risk is given by thewriting on the selected card. See FIG. 3. The selected card is returnedto the bottom of the pile and the Bank pays to the player any profitsmade or collects any losses incurred by the player as a result of takingthis “street risk”.

It should be noted that the text on these “street risk” cards have beingwritten to reflect scenarios with which inner city residents might befamiliar or to which they easily can relate. Examples of such writingsinclude: (a) “You found a package that fell from a company truck. Youdecided to sell the package in a nearby neighborhood. You tried sellingthe package to an undercover police officer—GO TO JAIL,” (b) “You meetup with a friend who is selling dirt bikes on which you can make aprofit by reselling them. You acquire the bikes and resell them a fewdays later. Collect $5,000,” (c) “You found a package that fell from acompany truck. You decided to turn the package in to authorities. Youwere rewarded. Collect $1,000,” (d) “You meet up with a friend who talksyou into going in with him on a business plan to open a pet store. Thebusiness fails. Lose $10,000,” (e) “You found a package that fell from acompany truck. You decided to sell the package in a nearby neighborhood.You were jumped for the package. Go to local hospital and pay servicefee of $1,000,” and (f) “You're experiencing problems with yourtransportation so you decide to get a ride from a hack. The hack decidesto rob you. Lose $1,000.”

Another alternative entrepreneurial endeavor which a player may elect topursue by moving his/her token to a spaced marked “vending” is toestablish a specialty vending business. Upon landing on a “vending space42,” one may elect to pay the price denoted on the space to therebyestablish a “vending business.” See FIG. 1C. To denote the establishmentof such a business, the player takes the appropriately priced, specialty“vending machine supplier” card 26 a from the stack of specialtybusiness cards which are laying face-up on one of the board'strapezoidal areas. The player makes money on this business when one ofthe other players gets a number from the chance device (e.g., a pair ofdice) which is equivalent to that of the player's token (e.g., theplayer has token number 7 and on another player's turn to move thatplayer using a pair of dice rolls a 7). The vending business owner orsupplier then collects from the Bank an amount that is equivalent towhat the owner paid for the vending business and as documented on thespecialty vending card 26 a that the player is holding.

Yet another entrepreneurial endeavor which a player may elect to pursueby moving his/her token to a spaced marked “event or party organizer” isto act in another type of a specialty business as a promoter andorganize a fee-for-admission event such as a party or other type ofspecial event. Upon landing on a “party/event organizer or promoterspace 44,” one may elect to pay the price denoted on the space tothereby go into the party/event promoting business. See FIG. 1B. Todenote the establishment of such a business, the player takes theappropriately priced, specialty “event/party organizer” card 26 b fromthe stack of specialty business cards which are laying face-up on one ofthe board's trapezoidal areas. The player makes money on this businesswhen the player, in one of his/her following turns to move, gets adesignated number from the chance device (e.g., rolls doubles on a pairof dice). The promoter then collects from the Bank an amount that isequivalent to what the promoter paid for the party/event promotingbusiness and as documented on the specialty “event/party organizer” card26 b that the player is holding.

A still further alternative money making endeavor which a player mayelect to pursue is gambling. To make this election, the player moveshis/her token to an especially marked and numbered space (e.g., a spacemarked “park” 46 where it is know that one can gamble with littleconcern for attracting police attention). See FIG. 1B. Upon landing onsuch a space, one may gamble any or all of their monies s and have theoutcome of the bet determined by a chance device (e.g., the roll ofdice). For example, when rolling dice, one wins the amount of the betwhen he/she, in an initial rolls or any subsequent roll, rolls thenumber on the park space where the player's token is sitting beforerolling either of the numbers 7 or 11. To roll a 7 or 11 is to lose thegamble or bet. The gambler either collects his/her winnings from theBank or pays to the Bank the amount of his/her wager.

After a player has accumulates some profits to go with his/her initialseed money, the player may want to go into a possibly more lucrativeendeavor, such as establishing an ongoing “street business”. The cost tobuy these businesses ranges from $10,000 to $150,000 and is paid to theBank. The purchase of such a business is documented by the player takingthat “business” card 30 from the pile on the board that corresponds toand is representative of the business that the player has been bought.

A business owner profits from such a business when the player, in one ofhis/her following turns to move, gets a specified number from the chancedevice (e.g., a number that is equivalent to that of the player'stoken). The “street business” owner then collects a check 32 from theBank in an amount that is equivalent to what the owner paid for thebusiness and as documented on the “business” card that the player isholding.

A player is allowed to buy such a business when he/she elects to movethe player's token to one of the “street” identified spaces 48 on theboard. It should be noted that these street spaces have a certain pointor monetary value assigned to them and which are clearly marked on theboard. The importance of these assigned points is that it restricts thevalue or type of a business that can be established on the street wherethe player's token is sitting. Only those businesses that have the sameidentified point value as the street's (see the business inventory card20) can be established on this street. For example, on a street having apoint value of 25, only “25 point” businesses such as “corner store,”“liquor store,” “car wash,” “sub-shop”, “pizza shop,” “nail salon,” etc.can be established.

In the event that a player owns multiple businesses and has one which ismore valuable than the others (i.e., a higher amount was paid for it orit has a higher point value), when such a player gets a number from thechance device that allows him to profit from his/her business, thisplayer is allowed to dictate to the Bank that he/she be given a check inthe amount of the value of the player's more expensive business.

The rules of the game can be established such that business ownersoccasionally have to make some payments on the value of the businessesthey are operating. For example, certain numbers from the chance devicecan be designate to require a business owner to pay certain taxes to theBank when the business owner, in using the chance device to determinethe number of spaces he/she may move the player's token, is given any ofthese designated numbers. For example, in rolling dice, the roll of a 2requires the business owner to make a tax payment to the Bank of $500,while the roll of a 3 requires a tax payment of $1,000.

To promote board awareness and attentiveness to a competitor's moves,the board has one or more “Police” or other specialty marked spaces(e.g., “Industrial danger Area”) marked spaces 50 over which a playershould not move his/her token as the penalty for inadvertently movingover such a space is that the player has to “Go To Jail” or some otherholding area (e.g., a hospital) and must surrender any “connection”cards that he/she may have acquired. As with other such board games, aplayer is considered to have completed a move of one's token when he/shetakes one's hand off of their token at the completion of a move. If a“Police” or “Industrial Area” marked space is on the route of one's justcompleted move, then that player's token passed over the “Police” or“Industrial Area” space and that player must “Go to Jail” or a similarholding area (e.g., a hospital).

Once a player has been sent to “holding area” (e.g., a jail), thatplayer may, when it is next his/her turn to move, get out of the holdingarea by certain specified actions: (a) pay the Bank a specified amount(e.g., $2,000), or (b) wait for the chance device to give the heldplayer a specified number (e.g., in rolling dice, the player gets outupon rolling a 7 or 11). Additionally, a player's situation can alsoworsen if a certain specified event occurs (e.g., in rolling dice, theplayer rolling a 12 goes to prison or intensive care—then, the only wayout is to roll a 7).

Although the foregoing disclosure relates to preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it is understood that these details have been given forthe purposes of clarification only. Various changes and modifications ofthe invention will be apparent, to one having ordinary skill in the art,without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as it willeventually be set forth in claims for the present invention.

1. A board game for play by competing players and in which each playerconducts business in an urban environment for the purposes ofaccumulating greater wealth than said competitors, said game comprising:a plurality of individually distinct tokens, with one of each saidtokens being assigned to be used by each of said players, a game boardhaving a plurality of marked spaces on which said tokens may sit or bemoved by said players, a form of currency that said players use toconduct business in said urban environment and to measure theaccumulation of wealth of said players, a first chance device that isused by said players to determine said movement of the token of a playeramong said spaces of said game board, wherein said marked spaces areconfigured so as reflect specified locations within said urbanenvironment and so as to determine the business action that a player maymake upon moving the token of said player to sit on one of said markedspaces, and wherein said business actions that can be taken in said gameare chosen from the group of business actions identified herein as“connecting,” “taking a street risk,” “vending,” “promoting,” “gambling”or establishing a “street business.”
 2. The board game as recited inclaim 1 further comprising: a plurality of “street risk” cards that haveinformation on said cards that determines the outcome of a “street risk”that one of said game players may elect to take, a plurality of“connection” cards that have information on said cards which identifiesvarious items that a player may select to buy and sell when one of saidgame players elects to make a “connection”, and a plurality of “streetbusiness” cards, each of said cards having information on said card thatidentifies the value and type of one of said “street business” that aplayer may elect to establish.
 3. The board game as recited in claim 2further comprising: a plurality of “specialty” cards, each of said cardshaving information on said card that identifies the value and type ofone of said “specialty” business that a player may elect to establish.4. The board game as recited in claim 1 further comprising: a secondchance device that is used to determine the outcome of a specifiedbusiness action of one of said players.
 5. The board game as recited inclaim 2 further comprising: a second chance device that is used todetermine the outcome of a specified business action of one of saidplayers.
 6. The board game as recited in claim 3 further comprising: asecond chance device that is used to determine the outcome of aspecified business action of one of said players.
 7. The board game asrecited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said marked 15 spaces arefurther configured so that said spaces have writings thereon that arechosen from the group including the names of streets, communities,parks, or transit stations from said urban environment.
 8. The boardgame as recited in claim 6, wherein a plurality of said marked spacesare further configured so that said spaces have writings thereon thatare chosen from the group including the names of streets, communities,parks, or transit stations from said urban environment.
 9. The boardgame as recited in claim 2, wherein: said items on said “connection”cards are chosen from the group that includes items that one canassociate with said urban environment, and said urban environment is an“inner city” setting, and said businesses on said “street business”cards are chosen from the group that includes businesses that one canassociate with said urban environment, and said urban environment is an“inner city” setting.
 10. The board game as recited in claim 9, wherein:said items on said “connection” cards are chosen from the group thatincludes: tee shirts, boots, sweat suits, video games, CDs, DVDs,fruits, vegetables, bottles of water, candy & snacks, sport watches,stereo equipment, clothing, and jewelry, and said businesses on said“street business” cards are chosen from the group that includes: cornerstore, liquor store, beauty salon, barber shop, bail bond business, carwash, tattoo shop, nail salon, carry-out food restaurant, pawn shop,cleaners, record shop, coffee shop, automobile repair shop, footwearstore, clothing store, day care center, bar & lounge, tanning salon,massage parlor, funeral home, fitness center, pool hall, and a nightclub.
 11. A method by which competing players may play a board game andin which each player conducts business in an urban environment for thepurposes of accumulating greater wealth than said competitors, saidmethod comprising the steps of: using a plurality of individuallydistinct tokens, with one of each said tokens being assigned to be usedby each of said players, using a game board having a plurality of markedspaces on which said tokens may sit or be moved by said players, using aform of currency that said players use to conduct business in said urbanenvironment and to measure the accumulation of wealth of said players,using a first chance device that is used by said players to determinesaid movement of the token of a player among said spaces of said gameboard, wherein said marked spaces are configured so as reflect specifiedlocations within said urban environment and so as to determine thebusiness action that a player may make upon moving the token of saidplayer to sit on one of said marked spaces, and wherein said businessactions that can be taken in said game are chosen from the group ofbusiness actions identified herein as “connecting,” “taking a streetrisk,” “vending,” “promoting,” “gambling” or establishing a “streetbusiness.”
 12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising thesteps of: using a plurality of “street risk” cards that have informationon said cards that determines the outcome of a “street risk” that one ofsaid game players may elect to take, using a plurality of “connection”cards that have information on said cards which identifies various itemsthat a player may select to buy and sell when one of said game playerselects to make a “connection”, and using a plurality of “streetbusiness” cards, each of said cards having information on said card thatidentifies the value and type of one of said “street business” that aplayer may elect to establish.
 13. The method as recited in claim 12further comprising the step of: using a plurality of “specialty” cards,each of said cards having information on said card that identifies thevalue and type of one of said “specialty” business that a player mayelect to establish.
 14. The method as recited in claim 11 furthercomprising the step of: using a second chance device that is used todetermine the outcome of a specified business action of one of saidplayers.
 15. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising thestep of: using a second chance device that is used to determine theoutcome of a specified business action of one of said players.
 16. Themethod as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of: using asecond chance device that is used to determine the outcome of aspecified business action of one of said players.
 17. The method asrecited in claim 11, wherein a plurality of said marked spaces arefurther configured so that said spaces have writings thereon that arechosen from the group including the names of streets, communities,parks, or transit stations from said urban environment.
 18. The methodas recited in claim 16, wherein a plurality of said marked spaces arefurther configured so that said spaces have writings thereon that arechosen from the group including the names of streets, communities,parks, or transit stations from said urban environment.
 19. The methodas recited in claim 12, wherein: said items on said “connection” cardsare chosen from the group that includes items that one can associatewith said urban environment, and said urban environment is an “innercity” setting, and said businesses on said “street business” cards arechosen from the group that includes businesses that one can associatewith said urban environment, and said urban environment is an “innercity” setting.
 20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein: saiditems on said “connection” cards are chosen from the group thatincludes: tee shirts, boots, sweat suits, video games, CDs, DVDs,fruits, vegetables, bottles of water, candy & snacks, sport watches,stereo equipment, clothing, and jewelry, and said businesses on said“street business” cards are chosen from the group that includes: cornerstore, liquor store, beauty salon, barber shop, bail bond business, carwash, tattoo shop, nail salon, carry-out food restaurant, pawn shop,cleaners, record shop, coffee shop, automobile repair shop, footwearstore, clothing store, day care center, bar & lounge, tanning salon,massage parlor, funeral home, fitness center, pool hall, and a nightclub.